Bible Study 2 Timothy 4: 1-22

 

A Commentary of the Book of 2 Timothy

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study 2 Timothy 4: 1-22

Text:

Preach the Word

4 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with [a]great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have [b]their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. 8 In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Personal Concerns

9 Be diligent to come to me soon, 10 for Demas, having loved this present age, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to [c]Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12 But Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith showed me much harm; the Lord will award him according to his deeds. 15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our words.

16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the preaching might be fulfilled, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will save me unto His heavenly kingdom; to [d]Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. 21 Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.

22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with [e]all of you.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:”

Paul mentions witnesses to impress on Timothy the utmost seriousness of the charge. Christ will judge all at “His appearing,” which is His second coming. Believers’ spirits enter paradise and unbelievers eternal torment. All that remains is the physical resurrection of all physical bodies, some to glory and others to hell fire. 

Verse 2: “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching.”

Paul’s instructions to Timothy should be ours as well. We are to “preach the Word,” not your opinions, notions, or convictions, but the Word. What is the Word? The Word is the gospel message: Christ crucified, Christ buried, Christ resurrected, Christ ascended to heaven and Christ coming again. That is what you are to preach. When you make a general call, the Holy Spirit will apply the message to the heart of the sinner in an effective call resulting in repentance and faith. 

Verse 3: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,”

This verse is being lived out in the American churches today. The focus on prosperity, ease of life, and riches is sickening. People don’t want to hear sermons on the need of repentance and denial of self to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, they seek out smooth and soft preaching that offends no one. Sinners feel comfortable in church when they should feel miserable for their sins. Sound doctrine is preaching the necessity of repentance to be saved, the difference between false (based on carnal fear) and true (based on glorifying God), the depravity of man, the necessity of Holy Spirit conviction that leads to faith and repentance. Stand for truth and defeat error.

Verse 4: “and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

This refers to false theologies, viewpoints, and philosophies in various forms that oppose sound doctrine. Several years ago, I preached a message on “Plus One.” I have found that whatever a particular group or denomination adds to the doctrine of Christ is what the group will emphasize. Some promote water baptism as a requirement to be saved. The shift is from the completeness of Christ to the necessity of an act by a man (performing the baptism). Once you see the “Plus One” for what it is, you see the seriousness and danger of heresy. 

Verse 5: “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

This is a final exhortation to faithfulness, even though others may be turning away. Paul tells Timothy that he will have hardships and he is to “endure” it. Evangelists were different in Paul’s day. In Paul’s day an evangelist was a traveling teacher, a missionary, not someone who has a job where he preaches meetings generally in the Spring or Fall at different churches. 

Verse 6: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.”

Paul’s impending death provides the reason for his extended appeal to Timothy. Paul knew his time on earth was nearly over and he wanted to provide Timothy with his most important exhortation. “Drink offering” was a metaphor for death that references the Old Testament sacrifice system. Also, “Departure” was a metaphor for death. 

Verse 7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”

Paul fought, finished and kept his faith. While the outcome was decided on the day Paul was converted, that did not eliminate his responsibility to fight the enemy. Who was the enemy? The enemies are the flesh, the devil and the world (world’s way of thinking). He fought the flesh by keeping it under control and not giving into it. He fought the devil by resisting him. He fought the world by keeping his thinking Bible based not the world’s wisdom. 

Verse 8: “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Paul is looking to the future. He is expecting a crown of righteousness. A crown is a reward, and he will receive his reward someday. “A crown of righteousness” is, I believe, the reward for a righteous life, and Paul will receive that. To love His appearing means that you will have to love Him. If you love Him and are living a righteous life, you can expect a crown as well.

Verse 9: “Be diligent to come to me soon,”

Paul wanted to see his son in the Lord, but it was imperative that Timothy come quickly because Paul knew his days were limited.

Verse 10: “for Demas, having loved this present age, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.”

Demas was a  coworker present with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment. Crescens is mentioned only here in the New Testament, he was apparently another of Paul’s coworkers.Titus was also a coworker with Paul. It is significant to notice that Demas’ problem was his love for the world. Just like Lot’s wife in looking back at Sodom during its destruction, looking back can draw you back. That never ends well.

Verse 11: “Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.”

Luke was the “beloved physician,” who traveled with Paul throughout much of his second and third missionary journeys.  Paul’s reference to Mark is a beautiful example of Christian forgiveness. John Mark’s desertion of Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary journey was forgiven. Paul’s forgiveness was so complete that he stated, “ for he is useful to me for service.” May we learn from this example when we need to forgive someone.

Verse 12: “But Tychicus I sent to Ephesus.”

Paul had either sent Tychicus to Ephesus earlier, or he was sending him there to deliver this second letter to Timothy, just as Tychicus had previously delivered Paul’s letters to the churches at Ephesus. Tychius was a faithful and loyal servant to Paul.

Verse 13: “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the parchments.”

Paul asks for his cloak or coat which he had left at Troas. This reveals a little of Paul’s suffering. The prison was most likely very cold. Paul needed something to read, something for his mind, thus he requested his books. 

Verse 14: “Alexander the coppersmith showed me much harm; the Lord will award him according to his deeds.”

His “reward” won’t be what Alexander would consider a reward! God will judge him for what he did to Paul as is true for many that oppose the gospel message and its messengers. This may or may not be the same Alexander referenced in 1 Timothy 1: 20 that Paul delivered to Satan to stop their blasphemy. 

Verse 15: “Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our words.”

Paul warns Timothy to be on guard against him. He is one of those church bosses who will flatter you, then put a knife in you when you turn your back and pour salt in it. Watch out for him. Over my many years in church ministry I have learned to spot a “church boss” very quickly. They want to rule the pastor and run the church. I say tell them to repent or pack up and leave.

Verse 16: “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them.”

“At my first defense” was either the preliminary hearing which opened Paul’s final trial, or it was his first trial in Rome three years earlier. Paul was alone at that time. If we feel alone sometimes, let us remember the example of Paul.

Verse 17: “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the preaching might be fulfilled, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.”

Paul had asked Timothy for his cloak (something for his body) and his books and parchment (something for his mind). Now he is stating a fact for his spirit: “The Lord stood with me.” All of us, regardless of our circumstances, have needs in these three areas. It is wonderful to be able to say, “The Lord stood with me.” “Rescued out of the lion’s mouth,” references his execution. It was postponed for a while.

Verse 18: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will save me unto His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul knew he was going to be translated to heaven, when the Lord had determined his mission on earth was completed. That is the confidence we all need. The Lord would rescue him until it was time to enter glory. May we all walk with such confidence. 

Verse 19: “Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.”

Paul concludes this personal letter to Timothy with references to these mutual friends. “Prisca” is a shortened form of “Priscilla,” as it is spelled elsewhere in Acts and Paul’s letters. She and her husband Aquila had been friends of Paul from the time he first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey. They were Jews, and like Paul were tentmakers. Onesiphorus had been a friend to Paul for many years and often provided him fellowship and support.

Verse 20: “Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.”

Erastus was most likely the city treasurer of Corinth, who sent greetings through Paul to the church at Rome. Trophimus was a native of Asia, specifically Ephesus, who had accompanied Paul from Greece to Troas. Miletus was a seaport city about 30 miles south of Ephesus. 

Verse 21: “Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.”

Notice that Paul again urges Timothy to come, and to come before winter. This concludes the tremendous ending to this letter to Timothy. Paul wanted desperately to see Timothy before he was martyred. 

Verse 22: “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with all of you.”

The Greek word for “you” is plural. Most likely, Paul intended the letter to be read to the entire church. May it speak to us as it did to Timothy.